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Great reminder! When I was in college, my professors harped upon the idea that we teach students, not lessons. Your video, which should be mandatory viewing for education majors all over the country, reiterates this idea. Too often, I find myself making the lessons about me, not the kids: How do I dazzle them with fun activities, cool lessons, yada, yada, yada. If we make the content meaningful and relevant for them, students will be more eager to learn.

Thanks, Michelle! Yup, I pretty much just try to think like a 16-year-old whenever I start to build a new piece of curriculum, asking myself, What would a kid today think is cool or weird or interesting about this material? Once I figure that out, the rest of the project usually falls quickly into line. Thanks for reading, viewing, and commenting! I appreciate it. 🙂

Awesome tips! I just recently found your blog and am learning SO much! Question about the “2 years older” mentality – do you share that information with your students? Do you tell those juniors you’re treating them like college freshmen or just simply do it? I teach middle schoolers and am wondering if that knowledge would be empowering or intimidating!

Welcome to the party, KLR! So glad you found the blog. I actually never tell my students that I’m doing this; I just do it. I feel like announcing it might make it less effective, like I was pandering to them or trying to manipulate them in some way. I don’t know, it’s just more of a mind-shift for me, I think, in the way I approach everything I do with (and for) them.